Band Camp
by Khoshekh42
Summary: Its Alexander's first day of band camp, and he's met new friends already. Its halfway through the season when disaster strikes in the form of his mother's death. Who will Alexander turn to for help? Lams. Rated T for language
1. Chapter 1

Alexander nervously bounced his way into the school building, pulling his long hair back into a ponytail. It was August first, and the day that marching band camp started. He was to be a trumpet player at New York high, and as short as he was, some of the seniors were somewhat frightening to him. (Not that he'd ever admit that). His mother waved goodbye to him, she coughed and wiped some sweat off her forehead. It wasn't that hot, only 71°. Alexander smiled sadly at his mother. She smiled weakly back at him. She'd been ill with a fever for about a week now, but they were poor enough to not be able to go to the hospital. Alexander's trumpet had been his father's before he left, being one of the only things that he'd left behind.

Which was another thing Alexander was worried about. Several people had made fun of him as an intermediate student about the state of his trumpet, and he was afraid that it'd only get worse in high school.

"Hey! I'm George, I'll be your drum major this year. What's your name, man?"

"Alexander Hamilton. My name is Alexander Hamilton."

"Alright, Alexander, what do you play?"

Alexander held up his case, "Trumpet." He replied proudly. George laughed for some reason. "You can get yourself acquainted with your Brass Captain and section leader Aaron Burr." He pointed over to a taller man, who looked to be a senior. Alexander thanked George, and headed over to Aaron Burr, who was sitting on the floor polishing his own trumpet, which looked nice and expensive. It was silver, better than Alexander's slightly rusty gold colored one.

"Pardon me, are you Aaron Burr, sir?" His mother had always told him to be polite, and if this guy was going to be his superior, Alexander was going to put in some extra effort. Burr looked amused. "That depends, who's asking?"

"Oh well sure, sir. I'm Alexander Hamilton." Now Burr just laughed. "Yeah I'm Aaron. Don't call me sir. I know I'm your Brass Caption, and judging by your case, your section leader too, but damn." Alexander blushed. "I heard your name from George."

"George Washington? Alright, well, now that we've been introduced, you can go stand over there with some of the other fish, until King George splits us up into sections."

"King George?" Alexander questioned.

"That's what we call the band director behind his back." Aaron lowered his voice, "If you ask anyone, they'll tell you he's a bit of an ass. And extremely controlling, that's where he gets his nickname." Alexander laughed nervously. His last director had been pretty chill, and having a scarier director had been something Alexander didn't even consider. Alexander thanked Aaron, and walked over to where he'd pointed, with a few shorter kids, who were, apparently, freshman as well. One was talking loudly in a French accent, the boy he was talking to was flexing his trombone case above his head. Another, a cute boy with freckles dotted across his face was laughing at the two, what appeared to be a saxophone case hugged tightly to his chest. A small girl was talking with a couple of girls that looked a lot like her, with a thin case next to her, opened to show a bassoon.

The Frenchman had stopped talking, and taken out a saxophone. He was playing some sort of complex solo that was just as loud and wailing as his voice was. He was good. The cute freckled boy was clapping. Alexander approached him. Freckles didn't notice him, and as Alexander was about say something to him, he whooped loudly.

"You go Lafayette!"

Alexander stopped, feeling uncharacteristic shyness in front of the cute boy. Freckles slapped Frenchman (Lafayette) on the back, before turning to Alexander, grinning. "Man," He said, "Get a load of this guy."

" I'm Alexander." Stupid. Why did he have to get all weird around cute kids? Cute freckles didn't seem to think it was awkward, but laughed. "I'm John. John Laurens. This is Marquis de Lafayette. Well his full name is Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette. But he just goes by Lafayette. Call him Marie and he'll kill you. This idiot is Hercules Mulligan. We just call him Herc."

"Alexander Hamilton." Alexander said, realizing he'd never said his full name.

"Nice. What do you play?"

"Trumpet." Alexander still felt stupid.

"Alto sax." John said, raising the case he'd been hugging earlier.

"Tenor." Lafayette showed off his playing again.

"Trombone!" Hercules shouted, hoisting the case above his head.

"Mulligan!" Aaron Burr shouted from across the room. Herc gave an easy smile as he lowered his trombone case.

John pulled Alexander closer into the group. Alexander grinned, loosening up a bit.

"You know anyone else here?"

"No, I just moved here. From the Caribbean."

All of them seemed impressed, and Lafayette asked him if he'd spent his time lounging around on the beach looking at all the hot girls. Alexander snorted. "No. It isn't as great there as you might think. At least," Alexander tinted at the cheeks, "Not in the part of town we lived in."

"Well then," John said decisively. "We're going to be your friends then."

"I've never had a group of friends before, I promise that I'll make ya'll proud."

"Never? A cute boy like you surely has had friends, more than friends, before."

"Careful, Laruens, your gay is showing." Herc laughed.

"You're gay?" Alexander asked, excited. Coming from a small community, he'd never met any other queer people. John grinned, and nodded. He was obviously pretty comfortable in his sexuality.

"That's great! I've never met anyone who's gay!" Alexander was bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Why is this so exciting to you?" John asked, laughing. (He honestly found it adorable).

"Well I've never met anyone else who's queer."

"Seriously? Well you're in luck. I'm gay, Lafayette's pan, and Herc's… well, we don't really know what Herc is. He's questioning, but sure as hell not straight." John explained. Herc shrugged.

"I'm bi." Alexander clarified. John seemed excited, "Nice! Now all we need is a trans person, and we'll have a whole set!"

"He's always been saying we need a bi trans person to join the school and then we'd go after them like a fucking tiger after its prey. But hey, you're even better! You're in band." Lafayette told him.

"Thanks? I guess?"

"It was a compliment. John likes you. Then again, he likes everyone." Lafayette considered. Herc snorted, "He's too nice for his own good." John rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything to counter it.

"Girls and boys," A man, who Alexander could only assume was King George beat on a bright red gock block. He rolled the 'r' in 'girls' and spoke in a British accent. He already seemed like an ass.

"Find your section leaders and when everyone's there, start heading outside to the marching field." The crowd of students suddenly erupt with people shouting instrument names, but Alexander immediately headed for Aaron Burr, who was still in the corner where he'd found him originally.

"Alexander Hamilton." Aaron recognized him. "Trumpets, over here!" Alexander turned back to see John and Lafayette walking over to a different corner of the room, John had his hand on Lafayette's back and he was whispering something in his ear. Lafayette laughed at whatever it was, and… blew a kiss to John?

 _Oh._

They'd never mentioned that they were dating.

Alexander couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that the cute boy that had flirted with him was actually in a relationship. It was stupid.

He turned back to the growing section of trumpets. Aaron was checking names off a list.

"Alright!" He shouted to the small crowd of trumpets, "Come along, and follow me!" He started heading out a back door of the band hall, following the clarinet section. The two people the small bassoon player was talking to were there. They were definitely sisters and appeared to have been at the high school for a year or so already.

Alexander readied himself for his first day of band camp.


	2. Chapter 2

They spent the first 4 hours in the morning doing Physical Training in a big semicircle around King George. Alexander kept his eyes on John, and the way his nimble body was able to stretch and bend in ways that Alexander's couldn't. It was a shame, really, that he was in a relationship. The way he'd flirted had seemed so sincere.

 _"_ _Never? A cute boy like you surely has had friends, more than friends, before."_

"Hamilton!" George Washington shouted, "What are you doing? Pay attention!" There were snickers from the older band members. John twisted around to look at him, his face apologetic, as if he'd somehow known it was indirectly his fault that Alexander wasn't paying attention. Alexander flushed, and switched to the stretch that the rest of the band was doing.

Eventually it was time for their lunch break, and John came up to him immediately.

"Sorry about getting caught not paying attention. I saw Herc doing to wrong exercise cause he was staring at the girl's butt in front of him." Alexander decided not to mention that his reason for not paying attention was rather similar.

"Anyway, we were wondering if you wanted to go to lunch with us."

"I'd love to!" He'd never gone to lunch with friends before. He'd never really had friends to go to lunch with. "Just let me call my mom to tell her not to come to pick me up."

"Sure."

Alexander pulled out his phone, a crappy flip phone that his mother had only gotten him going into high school. They hadn't been able to afford anything better. He was thankful that none of his new friends said anything about his phone, as he dialed their home number.

"Hey mom."

 _"_ _Yes Alexander? I'm just about to leave, are you ready to go?"_ She coughed.

"No, um, some people I met invited me out to lunch, is it okay if I go with them?"

 _"_ _Oh Alex, of course it is! What's their names?"_ She sounded proud of him.

"John, and Lafayette and Herc."

 _"_ _Okay dear, are they okay with paying for you?"_

 _Shit._ Alexander hadn't thought of that.

"Hey guys." He asked, shuffling his feet nervously. "Is it okay if you guys pay for me? I, uh, don't have any money on me." The _and don't have any money to spare_ was just left off the end of that sentence.

"Course," John answered. He cuffed Alexander's shoulder. "We're your friends, remember?" Alexander smiled.

"Yeah they'll pay for me, mom."

 _"_ _You hang on-"_ Cough. _"Hang on to these friends, Alex. Have fun. I love you."_

"I will. Love you too." Alexander winced at how weak his mother sounded. He knew that she wasn't going to get better any time soon, but he never expected her to get this bad this quickly. Part of him was dying to ask John to take his mother to the hospital, but lunch was one thing, hospital bills were something completely different.

"Hey you okay, Alexander?" John asked him, "You look concerned."

"It's nothing," Alexander said, sighing, "My mother's sick. It'll be fine. She'll be fine."

John looked worried. "It doesn't sound like it, what's she got?" Alexander sighed again. "It's just a fever."

"Doesn't sound like 'just' anything."

"She'll be fine." Alexander said again, stronger this time. "So where are we going to lunch?"

"Arby's okay?"

Alexander shrugged. "I've never been."

"That's it." John hit his hand on his saxophone case, "We're going to Arby's. It's some of the best fast food." Herc shrugged while Lafayette nodded. _Of course Lafayette would agree with his boyfriend._ Alexander thought ruefully. He had no idea where that came from, but he shoved the thought out of his head.

"How are we getting there?" Alexander asked, as they walked out of the doors, heat hitting them in a wave after the chill of the band hall.

"My mom was going to pick up me, Lafayette, and Herc after practice anyway. You'll fit in as long as you don't mind sitting three in the back."

"Course I don't." Alexander smiled at his new friend, glad Aaron had sent him over to the other freshmen, and John, being the cute boy, had caught his attention.

So they all piled into John's mom's car, chatting about King George's ruthlessness, how sore they were going to be in the morning, and generally about how they'd fared on their first day of band camp.

John was complaining as his mother dropped them off at the Arby's. "There's no way I'm going to be able to survive. I couldn't do half of that crap out there on the field today." Alexander scoffed, and, before he thought to shut up, said: "I was watching you, you seemed fine." His cheeks flushed light pink as soon as he'd realized what he'd said.

"See anything you like?" John flirted, his tone low. Alexander couldn't tell whether he was joking or not. (He must have been, though).

"I did in fact." Alexander responded, making sure to introduce a joking tone into his voice. He watched John carefully for a reaction. He looked surprised, and a light tinge came to his cheeks as well. Finally he laughed. "Sure you did."

Lafayette was bent over laughing, as was Herc, who had his hand on Lafayette's back to support himself.

"Alright boys," Herc said, finally getting himself together, "Put your gay away so we can order. I'm damn starving."

John started explaining what all of the things on the menu were, and Alexander couldn't help but to watch him, staring at his freckles, instead of at what the things on the menu looked like.

Alexander ended up deciding to split a roast turkey and swiss market fresh with John, with Lafayette getting a ruben sandwich, and Herc getting some sort of salad, insisting that he needed to stay in shape.

They spent their hour lunch break chatting about everything from Alexander's time in the Caribbean to how Herc once got a pencil stuck up his nose and how it was all Lafayette's fault.


	3. Chapter 3

A month later, they'd learned their entire show, been to several football games and contests, and learned more and more about each other. Alexander had neglected to tell them that his mother's condition had continued to get much worse. She couldn't get out of bed anymore, and Alexander had skipped several days of school already because of it, getting in trouble with his chemistry teacher by telling him that he 'had more important things to deal with than going to his class' earning him a detention, which got him in trouble with King George because he'd ended up missing practice.

"What's going on, Alexander?" John finally asked him, after missing school for the fourth time. Alexander looked thinner, gaunt, and extremely tired.

"Nothing." He yawned. "Nothing you can do anything about anyway." Alexander mumbled.

"Is everything okay?"

"Y- yes." He sighed. "No." John's face crumpled with worry. "What is it then?"

"My mom's gotten worse. I thought the fever would have broken by now, but it's just gotten worse." Alexander's eyes started stinging, and his breathing quickened.

"Oh my god, Alex you have to take her to a hospital. You were telling us about her fever a month ago."

"We _can't._ " Alexander blubbered, tears finally spilling over. "We don't have the money." He finally said what he'd been afraid to tell his friends ever since he'd met them.

"Oh Alex." John wrapped his arms around his friend, letting him cry into his shirt. They were getting a couple of weird looks from a group of Juniors in the hall adjacent to them, but John wasn't paying them any attention.

"Oh Alex." John repeated, rubbing Alexander's back comfortingly. "It's going to be okay."

"But what if it's not?" Alexander's small voice barely reached John's ears as he shared a fear that he'd had for weeks now with his best friend. Alexander extracted him from his tight hug, holding him an arm's length from him, eyes fierce. "Alexander, I can tell you, that it in the run? It's going to be okay." Alexander wiped his eyes and nose. "Thank you." He smiled weakly. "You always manage to make me feel better." John smiled back at him and wiped a stray tear from Alexander's cheek.

"You're not going to tell Lafayette or Herc about this are you?" Worry etched its way back into Alexander's face.

"Not if you don't want me to." Alexander shook his head.

"Okay." He patted Alexander's arm. "Okay. How about you get cleaned up in the bathroom before we head off to class?" He gave him one last hug before Alexander nodded, and started for the bathroom. John kept his hand on his shoulder for as long as he could before Alexander was too far away to reach.

It was just a few days later when Alexander came home to a quiet house.

"Mom?" He knew she couldn't have left the house in her condition.

"Mom?" Usually she'd give some indication that she'd heard him.

"Mom?" Fear seized inside of him.

"Mom!" He ran into his mother's room to find her laying there, unmoving.

She wasn't breathing.

"Mom!" He shook her.

"Mom!" Tears were already pouring out of his eyes.

"Mom!" It was a scream, torn from him unwillingly.

He sat down- fell down- onto the floor. They'd discussed this. If she died while he was at school. He was to call 911 and tell them. Then go with the police to a child protective service, and into some sort of orphanage.

No. In his grief he couldn't imagine going into an orphanage.

He called the police, told them what had happened, told them his address.

And fled.

He fled out into the streets- his new home. Better than an orphanage. It was slightly chilly. 66° in September, nearing October. He wrapped his coat around him as the wind howled around him. He was crying, but he put his hood up so that no one would stop him and question him.

But there was no one there. It was quiet uptown.


	4. Chapter 4

He went to school the next day. He didn't want to arouse suspicion, and he'd already been absent that week.

He'd wanted to avoid John, but as soon as he'd walked in the doors, John came bounding up to him, as if he'd been expecting him.

"Hey, Alexander, Lafayette wanted me to- hey what's wrong?"

"Nothing." His voice was monotone.

"Alexander…" He grabbed hold of Alexander's shoulders. "You look tired." He hadn't slept at all the night before.

"You look like you've been crying." He had been. All night.

"You look like you're in pain." He was.

"What happened?" He lowered his voice. "Did your mom get worse?"

"She'll be fine." His voice cracked.

"Alright, come on. We're going to go to Starbucks. You need coffee and a friend."

They walked the block or so to the Starbucks that was near the school. John pulled up a chair for Alexander, and ordered a couple of very sugary Starbucks coffees.

"Okay. What's happening?"

"The first bell just rang."

"Yeah I don't care. I care about _you_ Alexander, I don't care about school. What's _wrong_? Is this about your mom?" A muscle in Alexander's jaw tightened. " _Nothing._ "

"There's obviously something going on, Alex."

" _Don't call me that."_ Alexander growled. It had been what his mother called him.

"Alright." John looked like he was beginning to get frustrated. "Alexander, what's wrong?"

"Nothing you can do anything about."

"I don't _care._ I want to know, because talking it through is going to help you."

"Just stop _talking_ to me!" Alexander shouted, standing up and earning a few scowls from the other people in the small shop. John looked hurt, and Alexander regretted it as soon as he did, but he didn't say anything else. He walked out of the shop.

 _"_ _Alexander, I can tell you, that it in the run? It's going to be okay."_ What bullshit. How was anything supposed to be okay now? His mom was dead, he'd yelled at John who was now avoiding him, Lafayette and Herc were giving him dirty looks in the hallway for knowing that he'd done something to John, and on top of it all his chemistry teacher had given him another detention for not paying attention in class. He planned to skip that. To skip band practice. To go find somewhere to sleep, somewhere that he wouldn't get stabbed halfway through the night.

It was two weeks later, and he hadn't actually talked to John or the rest of his friends. He was finally sleeping- but only out of pure exhaustion- on a bench in a park. How stereotypical.

Alexander was no longer getting the nasty looks from Herc or Lafayette. He figured that probably had something to do with John, damn how nice he was. He'd finally started going back to band practice, simply for something to do, and when he did he'd gotten yelled at by King George, George Washington, and Aaron Burr. John had avoided looking at him during that. Alexander had just stood there and taken it, knowing he deserved every word of it. Although, halfway through, George Washington had seemed to realize how awful Alexander looked, and stopped shouting, only to ask what was wrong. Alexander had just walked away.

He started doing better in his classes, once again as something to do, so he wouldn't think about his mother. About how she was still warm when he'd gotten home, and about how if he'd only insisted that they go to the hospital, and get the bills, however unpayable they were, then she would still be alive.

It was only a fucking fever.

Alexander hadn't had a shower since he'd left his home, and he didn't have a change of clothes either. People were beginning to tell. He kept his hair up in a ponytail, because it looked less dirty that way. Some days he wore his coat, and other days he didn't.

Anything to keep people from realizing that he was homeless.

On days that they had contests or football games, Alexander just sat in front of the school as if waiting for someone to pick him up, but when it was time to get to the school for whatever event they had, he would walk back to the band hall as if he had been dropped off at the school.

Occasionally someone would come up to him and ask him about his clothes, and Alexander would just joke that he had a bunch of the same shirt just because they were comfortable. None of them believed him, and just thought him to be poor. Which was true, honestly more true than they thought.

He was starving. He'd probably lost ten pounds since, the only food he got was stolen from stores. One time he was caught trying to steal an apple, and the cashier had paid for him to buy several apples when he'd seen how skinny and awful Alexander looked.

But finally, after two weeks, Alexander couldn't take it anymore. It was getting colder, and down to 50° at night, when he was sleeping in the park. It was raining at school, and Alexander knew that he couldn't sleep outside when he heard that it was supposed to rain all night.

So he walked home from school- thankfully there wasn't a game or contest that day, being a Tuesday. And he walked to where he hoped to god that he'd be accepted. He walked to John's house.

Knocking, he wrapped his coat tighter around him.

"Hi Mrs. Laurens."

"Alexander! What are you doing here? Gosh I haven't seen you in weeks. Come in, it's raining." John's mom motioned for him to come inside. He didn't move. "I have to talk to John."

"Of course. John! Your friend is here to see you!"

"Which friend?" Alexander's heart ached at hearing John's voice, which he hadn't heard since he'd shouted at him in the Starbucks, when all John was trying to do was make him feel better.

"Alexander!" There was a pause before a thundering of feet coming down stairs. John didn't pause before launching himself at Alexander, and for a moment he thought John was going to attack him, but he wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug. "Ohmygod Alexander. Don't ever do that again."

And Alexander broke down in tears.

"Come in, it's raining." John dragged Alexander in the house.

"Now please, Alex, t- sorry, Alexander, tell me what's wrong?"

"You can call me Alex." His voice sounded tiny in between his sobs.

"Please tell me, you've got me worried sick about you. You look thin, you look like you haven't showered, and you've been wearing the same clothes for the last few weeks."

Alexander glanced up at John's mother, and she took her cue to leave.

"My-" He hiccupped. "My mom died." John's face fell. "Oh my god. Are- are you okay?"

"I've- can I sleep here tonight?"

"Yeah. Alex, are you okay?"

"I've been sleeping on a bench in the park."

"Oh my god, Alex!" He didn't sound angry, but he'd started crying too. He put his hand on his mouth. "For how long?"

"Two weeks now."

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" He pulled Alexander into another hug. He still didn't sound angry.

"I- I was scared."

"Alexander… I am so sorry." John stepped back to look at Alexander. "Alright, you go upstairs and take a shower, I'm gonna go talk to my mom about you staying." He drew Alexander close and pressed a kiss to his forehead, before walking into the next room to where his mother was. Alexander rubbed his eyes, and headed up the stairs, pausing halfway to listen to the conversation John was having with his mother.

 _"_ _Can Alexander stay here?"_

 _"_ _John you know we don't have any spare bedrooms."_

 _"_ _He can sleep in my room._

 _"_ _In… your room?"_

 _"_ _He just lost his mother, and he's been sleeping on a bench."_

 _"_ _Oh_ jesus. _Seriously?"_

 _"_ _Would I lie about this?"_

 _"_ _No. Alright. He can stay in your room. I trust you'll make him feel welcome and comfortable."_

 _"_ _Of course."_

Hearing that he would be able to stay in the Laurens's house, a weight dripped off of Alexander. Not wanting to hear whatever else the conversation was, and eager to finally take a shower, he walked the rest of the way up the stairs and went into the bathroom next to John's room.


	5. Chapter 5

Alexander relished seeing all of the dirt and grime that he'd accumulated on his body pooling at the bottom of the shower. He smiled seeing the shampoo that John was using. He picked it up, looking at the bottle. It looked super girly, and apparently smelled like a garden? It was some sort of Nature's Gate Herbal shampoo. He opened it up and immediately could smell John. So this was what John used to smell like lavender and rosemary. His smile grew when he turned it around and saw the _$7.79_ price on it. Only John would be buy shampoo that was 8 dollars.

Alexander only used the cheap stuff, like drugstore shampoos, and were never any more than a couple of dollars. They always shopped the sales. He eagerly poured some of the shampoo out of the bottle and started scrubbing it into his hair. It smelled like John was all around him.

As he stepped out of the shower, and started toweling dry he realized that he really had no clothes, unless he wanted to get back into his awful clothes that he'd been wearing for two weeks straight. And after getting clean after such a long time, Alexander wasn't thrilled to do that.

"John!" He called out to his friend. There was footsteps on the stairs again.

"Alexander?" John shouted through the door, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, just, um… do you have any clothes I could borrow?"

"Oh! Yeah, you don't wanna wear those things that you've been wearing for weeks. Just a sec."

He came back with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that Alexander had seen John wear before.

"They're a little big." Alexander commented as he left the bathroom, "But they're fine." He said hurriedly at the concerned look that came to John's face. They stood there awkwardly for a few seconds.

"I smell like you." As soon as he said it, Alexander blushed. John's laughter bubbled up, making Alexander feel a little better.

"My shampoo is a little extravagant. My family makes me buy it, because they refuse to pay to make my hair smell like a garden." Now it was Alexander to laugh. Something that he hadn't done in forever.

"You always manage to make me feel better." Alexander smiled at John. "Thank you."

John smiled back at him. "Come on. My mom said that you can stay indefinitely. You'll be sleeping in my room."

"I can take the floor." Alexander told him, trying to be the polite guest. John scoffed. "You've been sleeping on a bench for the past two weeks. You need a bed. Its fine, we'll both fit." Alexander blushed slightly as he realized that that meant that they'd be sharing a bed.

"Okay." Alexander agreed, just glad to have a place to sleep that wasn't the bench in the park. Just being with John started making him feel warm again. He'd felt so cold after his mother's death, and somehow just being in John's presence helped.

He couldn't wrap his mind around his feelings for John. He loved him. As a friend.

Right?

Of course. It had to be. The way that his heart jumped when he saw John. The way it would hurt him whenever John and Lafayette were acting couple-y. The way he felt when John would touch his arm, or clap him on the back. The way he wanted…

To kiss him?

All very friendly, normal man friend things to feel and want.

…

Right?


	6. Chapter 6

Alexander felt a little awkward as he climbed into bed with John that night, but it was certainly nice to be around John for the first time in weeks.

"You're going to be able to sleep tonight, right?" John asked him, tugging on some flannel pants over his boxers.

"Yeah. I hope." Alexander knew that going to school the next day was going to be tough, because if he knew Herc and Lafayette, they were still going to be ticked at him for shouting at John.

"Do you need pajama pants?" John asked him, holding a pair out to Alexander.

"No, I've never had them. Just slept in my jeans." John seemed surprised by Alexander's answer for whatever reason.

They ended up lying in the bed talking, and catching up on what was happening with Lafayette and Herc before they fell asleep at nearly one in the morning.

It was the first time since his mother died that he didn't cry himself to sleep.

As Alexander predicted the next day was difficult, and it started out so, John's mother giving him pitying looks throughout breakfast, and giving him seconds and thirds after realizing that the last time he'd had a proper meal was months ago, having lived off of ramen and off brand macaroni and cheese. He'd never had on brand anything in his life. Alexander decided that he liked the on brand cereal that they were eating.

They got to school early, per John's request, so that they could explain to Lafayette and Herc what had happened. They'd already discussed the night before that they would tell the whole story, from being extremely poor his entire life, to his mother dying, to being homeless for the past month.

Again, as Alexander predicted, when Herc and Lafayette saw them walking up together, Herc narrowed his eyes and Lafayette crossed his arms. Alexander shoved his hands in his pockets nervously. John patted him comfortingly on the shoulder.

"I- I'm sorry." Alexander led. "Remember, um, remember when I said that my mom was sick at the beginning of the school year?" They both nodded, still looking suspiciously at him.

"She died a month ago." He could feel tears pricking his eyes again. Herc's eyes widened, and Lafayette uncrossed his arms.

"Lord, Alex, you should've told us." Herc said. "We would've helped you."

"What've you been doing in the meantime?" Asked Lafayette, reading between the lines.

"I've slept on a bench in the park near the school so that I could get up early and walk to school."

"For a month?"

"No, only a few weeks now. Before that I was sleeping in alleys near my house, but I was late to school a lot so, I had to change where I was sleeping."

They talked for a few more minutes before the bell rang, and John decided that Lafayette and Herc were definitely convinced that Alexander wasn't a complete asshole.

Classes weren't interesting that day, but several teachers seemed to notice that he was more awake than usual.

Before band, however, George Washington pulled him aside to talk to him.

"Listen, son."

"Don't call me son." Alexander said, voice cracking slightly. George looked a little guilty. "Alexander. King George isn't entirely happy with you. You've been missing practices right and left, and I wanted to talk before he got to you. I'd like to know what's wrong. I just want to help you, Alexander. You've been getting thinner- unhealthily thin. And don't lie to me, I know that something's got you down."

"Um." Alexander glanced up to see John looking over at him. John smiled over at him. Alexander turned back to George. "My mom just died." George's face of worry turned to one of shock and pity.

"Alexander, Christ, you should have told us. You'd be excused from practice. You can take as much time off as you like. I'll make sure of it. If you or your dad need anything, just ask."

"Um. My dad left when I was a little kid." Alexander could see George putting the pieces together.

"Alexander… You do have a place to sleep, right?" Alexander glanced over at John again. "I do now."

"If you want to take a break then you're completely allowed to."

"No, I've got to do things to distract me."

George nodded like he understood. "My father died when I was 11. It was hard to deal with at first, but it really does get better. It gets easier to deal with. But the pain never really goes away."

"I'm sorry." Alexander told him, "I didn't know."

"I've gotten used to it. You will too eventually, Alexander. I believe that you can do it." George patted Alexander on the shoulder.

King George confronted him later after practice.

"This is your warning, Hamilton. If you miss just one more practice, we're finding someone else to fill your spot."

"Sir, I-"

"Yes, I'd _love_ to hear your _excuses._ " King George spat at him. Alexander felt a flame starting to burn inside of his stomach. He ground his teeth together to keep himself from spitting back at his band director.

"I'd like to _apologize, sir._ " Alexander couldn't help the contempt from slipping into his voice. "For my mother dying last month." Alexander relished in seeing King George look taken aback.

"Because _obviously_ ," Alexander pushed, "It's my fault, my _excuse,_ for missing practice."

"I'm sorry." He didn't sound sorry. "I'll let you keep your spot for now." The flame in Alexander's stomach erupted into a bonfire.

"No, you know what, I'm not going to stand for this. You have been nothing but an asshole to everyone here since you've started. Peggy quit because you made her cry when you forced her to continue running when _she has severe asthma._ But did you listen to her when she told you, course not. Your shouting is enough to shut even Thomas up. I haven't heard you encourage anyone since I got here," By now Alexander had a crowd.

"You literally told the tuba section that sucked. You made a fucking _joke_ out of beating your wife? What the _fuck_ is your problem, there are some things you don't joke about, and just sayin', domestic abuse is one of those things. You threated to kill Angelica's friends and family if she got her flute solo wrong- and don't tell me- that was a joke too, because guess what! That's another one of those things you don't joke about.

"And then there's me. George Washington came up to me to make sure I was okay, did everything he could to make sure I was going to be alright. Even _Burr_ seemed worried about me. And you know what, I would've been fine had this _environment_ had been accepting and felt like people cared, but when I tell you that my mother _died_ last month, what do you say? 'I'll let you keep your spot _for now._ '" Alexander mocked in a ridiculous British accent, "What're you gonna say if I tell you that I've been sleeping in alleyways and park benches? 'I'll stop trying to dick you over _for now.'_ What're you gonna say if I tell you that I'm ready to beg, steal, borrow, or barter just for a bite to eat? 'Maybe I won't make you feel like you're a worthless piece of garbage, _for now.'_ Man, what're you going to say if I tell you that the only reason I don't sleep with a knife in my hand to make sure that no one steals the only things I own which are three granola bars in my pocket is that I'm so afraid that I'm gonna stab myself in the _fucking_ throat? 'Maybe I won't kick you out of the only thing that's actually keeping you alive, _for now._

"Man I'm so fucking _done_ with your bullshit that the only reason I don't quit is _because_ it's damn near one of the only things keeping me alive and sane."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey I'm dedicating this (admittedly short) chapter to guest reviewer 'Hammy' who said they were making fanart for this, my email is mayalynnmcmullen PLEASE SHOW IT TO ME I WANT TO SEE IT AHHH I'M SO HAPPY!**

Alexander left the band hall as the rest of the band, including King George, were staring at him in shock. Two minutes later he was met by the rest of his gang running up to him laughing gleefully.

"Man that was fucking _amazing_! You _fucked him up_!" Herc shouted, punching him on the arm. Alexander laughed nervously. "I shouldn't've done that should I? I'm so gonna get detention for that."

John shook his head, "Hey if you get detention I'm so gonna stand up to him too. I might do it anyway."

"Christ, John, don't get in trouble for me, I'm not worth it."

"Well I think you are." John mumbled. Herc and Lafayette glanced at each other and snorted. John punched them both respectively. Alexander sighed. "No I'm not. Just don't get yourself in serious trouble for me." John looked like he was going to argue.

"I'm _serious._ I don't want you getting in trouble with King George for such a tiny thing."

" _No._ _I'm_ serious." John countered. "King George is a dick, he deserved every word and more."

"As much as I agree," Aaron Burr walked up, "You're in a _whole_ lot of trouble with the King, Hamilton. In the meantime, you've almost got Angelica kicked out because she's taking your side. Eliza was shouting at him when I left, Jefferson is rallying a petition to get George fired, and the King is threatening to get everyone that signs it expelled.

"While I can't say I agree with you and your friends' _methods,_ perhaps this will do _some_ good. With the stuff Jefferson has included in his petition, it just might be enough to actually get George fired."

"Thomas isn't my friend." Alexander mumbled. John snorted.

"Well whether he's your _friend_ or not doesn't particularly matter. But I'd watch your back. George has been known to fight dirty. Someone tried to get him fired before, and George did something, and pot was found in the kid's locker. Now none of us really knew the kid, he was a bit of an outcast, and George really picked on him, but none of us knew him to smoke at all."

Alexander shuddered, not surprised that George would do that, but suddenly he got a bad feeling about what he just said to the king. For a moment, Aaron looked at him with something that looked like pity, before turning around and walking back into the band hall.

"Heh." Alexander turned to look at John. "Not only am I going to get detention, but I'll get expelled too. Now you'd better not do anything stupid, John, _I'm not worth it_."

"Well maybe I think you are." John shot back, somewhat angrily.

"God dammit, John, stand up for Lafayette, but don't you fucking dare stand up for me." John looked taken aback, as did Lafayette and Herc.

"No offense to Lafayette, but I'd rather stand up for you." John told him quietly. Now it was Alexander who was taken aback. "But… he's your boyfriend, why-"

"My boyfriend?" John asked, confused. Lafayette laughed. "No, mon ami. No offense to John, but there's no way in hell that I would date him."

"None taken, I'd rather not date you either." John muttered. Herc looked like he wanted to say something, but decided against it.

"Wait, you aren't dating?"

"That's what we're trying to say." John responded.

"But you were flirting, and… I think Lafayette blew you a kiss or something?"

"Harmless flirting. That's just Lafayette's thing. He flirts with everyone, surely you've noticed."

"Yeah but I guess I just…" Alexander trailed off, not wanting to say 'didn't want to get my hopes up'. He flushed with embarrassment, before falling into step with the rest of his friends, and joining in on the next topic of conversation of who in the school they'd date, refraining himself from saying 'John.'


End file.
